The Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), under the guidance of President Shammi Silva, has taken a significant step to elevate school cricket by promoting three-day school cricket matches instead of the two-day encounters.
As part of this initiative, SLC has pledged financial grants to 56 schools to introduce three days in their annual big matches. Previously, only three schools played their big matches over three days. However, with this decision, 28 big matches will now be played as three-day encounters, marking a new era for school cricket, beginning from this season.
This initiative, carried out in collaboration with the Sri Lanka School Cricket Association (SLSCA), aims at providing young cricketers with greater match exposure, enhance their skills and create a concrete transition to first-class and international cricket.
Further, in strengthening this initiative, SLC has also extended the three-day match format to the U-19 school cricket competition. Consequently, the knockout stages in the U-19 Division I and II (both Tier A and B) will now be played as three-day matches.
This initiative, carried out in collaboration with the SLSCA aims to provide young cricketers with greater match exposure, to enhance their skills and create a smoother transition to first-class and international cricket.
SLC has also extended the three-day match format to the U-19 schools cricket competition. As a result, the knockout stages of the U-19 Division I and II (both Tier A and B) will now be played as three-day matches.
Sri Lanka boasts of a vibrant school cricket system, with over 6,800 matches played annually across U-13, U-15, U-17, and U-19 levels. SLC fully funds these tournaments as part of its commitment to nurturing the next generation of cricketers.
This initiative reflects SLC’s long-term commitment to strengthening grassroots cricket and ensuring a solid foundation for future national players.
Below are the schools receiving grants to conduct three-day big matches:
S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia, Trinity College, St. Sebastian’s College, DS Senanayake College, Royal College, St. Anthony’s College, Kandy, Prince of Wales College, St. Servatius’ College, Matara, Mahanama College, Richmond College, Gurukula College, Kelaniya, Nalanda College, Maliyadeva College, St. Peter’s College, St. Joseph’s College, St. Thomas’ College, Matara, Mahinda College, Galle, Ananda College, St. Anne’s College, Kurunegala, Moratu Maha Vidyalaya, Thurstan College, Dharmaraja College, Kandy, St. Sebastian’s Central, Katuneriya, Devapathiraja College, Rathgama, Sri Sumangala College, Panadura, Isipathana College, Sri Dharmaloka College, Kelaniya, St. Peter’s College, Negombo, Dharmapala College, Pannipitiya, St. John’s College, Jaffna, Rahula College, Matara, Kingswood College, Kandy, P De S Kularathne College, Ambalangoda, Kegalu Vidyalaya, CMS Sri Jayewardenepura MV, Kotte, Anuradhapura Central, Jaffna Central College, St. Mary’s College, Kegalle, St. Thomas’ College, Kotte, Royal Central College, Polonnaruwa, Sri Rahula College, Katugastota, Sir John Kothalawala College, Kurunegala, Maliyadeva Model School, Kurunegala, Prince College, Ratnapura, Sri Sumangala College, Kandy, Wayamba Royal College, Kurunegala, Ibbagamuwa Central College, St. Aloysius’ College, Ratnapura, St. Patrick’s College, Jaffna, Mahinda Rajapaksha College, Homagama, Wickramashila National School, Giriulla, Jaffna College, Vaddukoddai, Defense Service College, Colombo, DS Senanayaka Central, Mirigama, Holy Trinity College, Nuwara Eliya, Gamini National School, Nuwara Eliya.
